Strengthen your analytical and problem-solving skills in this challenging course that’s designed for students with minimal math competition experience at the middle school level. You’ll build upon ideas introduced in MS1, covering skills in number theory, algebra, geometry, probability, and logic through lessons, sample problems, videos, and mini competitions designed to challenge and motivate you.

What can astronomers learn from black holes? How do engineers decide on the best bridge designs? How do marine biologists know that dolphins are smart? Learn how scientists answer big questions and solve world problems by designing and conducting your own hands-on investigations in biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, and more. As ecologists, you and your classmates may experiment with ways to stop soil erosion. As chemists, you might work in teams to learn how fireworks use metals to produce different colors when they burn.

Writing is an act of imagination built from the raw materials of life and language. In this course, you’ll learn to approach writing as a craft and discover processes and techniques that writers in all genres use, from generating story ideas to deciding on voice and point of view. You and your classmates will read and discuss essays, short stories, and works of poetry with a focus on the author’s intentions and creative choices. Your instructor for this course will be an experienced writer who guides you and your classmates through the creative writing and revision process.

Can five 20-by-18-foot carpets lying flat with no overlap fit in a 40-by-50-foot room? Can you measure 2 liters of water correctly using only a 4-liter pitcher and a 3-liter pitcher? How many different ways can you add four even, positive numbers to get a sum of 16? Problem-solving in mathematics involves finding a path to a solution, even when there is no clear place to start.

How does a pitcher get a baseball to curve mid-pitch? Why does an ice skater spin faster when she pulls in her arms? How can Tony Hawk land a “900,” a skateboard trick involving the completion of two-and-a-half aerial revolutions? Physics holds the key to answering these and other fascinating sports questions. This introductory physics course uses sports to explore mechanics: kinematics, dynamics, momentum, energy, and power.

Strengthen your ability to persuade an audience by reading critical and literary texts that sharpen your proficiency to think and write critically about yourself and the world around you. You’ll write and revise essays of varying lengths, including a capstone essay based on your observation of social interactions within a group, demonstrating the writing skills and cultural criticism strategies you have developed throughout the course.